Waterproof pocket



Filed Sept. 25, 1935 Inventor:

Patented July 21, 1936 WATERPROOF POCKET Lester Lawrence Lillie, Washington, D. 0.

Application September 25, 1935, Serial No. 42,089

1 Claim.

The invention relates to improvements in a Water-proof pocket; and the objects of the improvements are, first, to provide an absolutely water-proof and air-tight pocket that can be worn 5 as a fixture or an accessory to a bathing or swimming suit and can be subjected to constant and/ or repeated immersion in Water without the contents of pocket being exposed to dampness or contact with water; second, to aiford facilities for efficient and simple operation; and third, to fill the existing and recognized need for a container or pocket which may be attached to a bathing suit and/r built into a bathing suit and/or attached to the belt of a bathing suit, which will accommodate any reasonably sized article or appurtenance which its wearer may wish to keep on his or her person, yet which must be preserved in a dry and uncrushed condition.

For a detailed description of the nature and further objects of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying specifications and drawing, in which latter,

Fig. l is a front elevation of the pocket, with flap disengaged and raised, showing opening of pocket as numeral II], Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the pocket, showing hooked bar of flap (3), engaged in slot (6) Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the pocket, showing flap (3) disengaged, Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of pocket, showing hooked bar (5) of flap (3) engaged in slot (6), Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear view of Fig. 2 showing back bar (I2) engaging plate hooks (I3, I3), Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section on the 6, 6, line of Fig. 2 showing back bar (I2) engaged in plate hooks (I3, I3).

Referring to the drawing, in which the numeral I is a seamless rubber pocket, which furnishes the water-proof material, a rigid metal plate (2), is rigidly attached, by cementing or vulcanizing, to pocket (I), and the flap (3), of the pocket (I) is creased at the top of plate (2) which allows it to lie over the top rounded edge (4), of plate (2), as shown in Fig. 3. Attached by cementing, vulcanizing or clamping, to the end of flap (3) is a rigid horizontal bar (5) which is horizontally bent to form a hook, so as to securely engage a horizontal slot (6), in plate (2), as shown in Fig. 4; attached by two small rivets or pins, to hooked bar (5) is a flexible tab (1) so as to provide a finger grip, (see Fig. 2) attached by cementing or vulcanizing, to the inside of pocket (I) is a horizontal rubber ridge '(8), as shown in Fig. 3, so as to provide increased compression at top edge (4) of plate (2), when, the

pocket is closed. Attached by cementing or vulcanizing to outside back of pocket (I) and near the top, is a horizontal rigid metal bar (ID-back bar (I2) is disengaged in Fig. 3. The extensions of top ends of plate (2) are bent backward to 5 form hooks (I3, I3.) so as to engage back bar (I2), (see Figs. 5 and 6).

The pull on flap (3), to close .the pocket, will also engage back bar (I2) in plat liooks (I3, I3,) maintaining the necessary compression at the top 10 edge (4) of plate (2) by arresting, effectively and completely, any tendency there might be of the back of the pocket to slide over the top edge (4) and thereby lose some of the necessary compressionat that point (4).

When hanging in position, but disengaged, hooked bar (5) on flap (3) hangs at a certain predetermined distance above and over slot (6), as shown in Fig. 3; now in closing the pocket, the necessary downward pull on tab (1) and fiap 20 (3) is exerted to allow hooked bar (5) to engage slot (6), and this same action allows back bar (I2) to engage plate hooks (I3, I3), and keeps flap (3) so tightly stretched, and the sides of the pocket so tightly compressed over the top edge 5 (4) of plate (2), that water cannot enter the body of the pocket.

Lip (9), of opening (ID), as shown in Fig. 1, is curved and opens at a point just short of hooked bar (5), permitting convenient and unhampered 30 ingress and egress to pocket.

, Loops (I I, I I,) for attachment of this invention to a belt are shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the inclusion of these loops (I I, II,) being optional, depending upon the method of attachment to bathing suit 35 desired.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the article and their parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, without 40 departing from the scope of my present invention.

Hence I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the article and their parts as described in the previous specifications and as illustrated in the accom- 45 panying drawing, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A pouch of the character described comprising a seamless rubber pocket having an opening at the top, a horizontally slotted metal plate secured to the front wall of the pocket adjacent the opening, hooks at the ends of the plate, a 55 flap extending from the rear wall of the pocket and creased to lie over the top edge of the plate, a rigid horizontal bar attached to the free end of the flap and having a hook corresponding to the slot in the plate for engagement therewith, a horizontal rubber ridge fixed to the inside rear wall of the pocket adjacent the crease in the flap to increase compression at the top of the plate, a horizontal rigid bar fixed to the outside of the rear wall to be engaged by the plate hooks to maintain compression when the pouch is closed, and belt loops on the plate.

LESTER LAWRENCE LILLIE. 

